Page 117 of Ryder

“The operative word bein’under,” he chides back. “I’m more than happy to be on the bottom anytime, Pumpkin.”

“Pipes!” I all but scream at him.So much for him being ‘so sweet’.. “Focus!”

“Shit, sorry.” He slams her door shut once she’s safely inside, then jogs around to the driver's side, muttering, “It ain’t my fault she’s cute when she’s sassy.”

These two will be the freaking death of me. I questioned Casey on the car ride home why it was she and Pipes are always at loggerheads, but she refused to give me anything. Claiming he was a manwhore and he had very few manners, not that she cared. I pressed her for intel, but Casey has always been pretty closed about discussing her relationships with me, even though we’re close. I think she thinks it’s going to scar me because after my kidnapping, a lot of things did just that. She doesn’t like stressing me out, but I’m her sister. I want her to share things with me. Even if it is with guys in the MC, not that she’s been with any, but it isn’t like none of them have tried.

“Did you and Ryder piss anyone off lately?” He begins to reverse out of the drive as soon as we’re buckled in.

“No!” I say indignantly, then add, “Not that I’m aware of.”

I punch in the coordinates to Ade’s GPS from my phone and a small sliver of hope tingles up my spine as I watch the car on the highway. Even though we’re not that far behind, it seems like eons away.

Then, Cash calls Pipes and he puts it on speaker. “Hey, Boss.”

“Pipes, where are you?” Cash barks. He sounds madder than a hellcat.

“Enroute,” he says. “I’m about fifteen minutes behind them, less if I press the gas.”

“Good. I’ve sent Giggs over to Ryder’s to keep watch over the gir?—”

“They’re with me.” Pipes visibly cringes.

“Of course they are,” he mutters. “Hi, Crystal. I told Casey to tell you to stay put.”

“You’ve known me a long time, Cash,” I say. “If anyone messes with my family, you know I’m going in guns blazing no matter what.”

“Let’s just calm down on the guns blazin’ stuff,” he admonishes. “We don’t need any guns goin’ off until we’re sure it’s aimed at the right people.”

“Oh, it will be. I’ve been practicing at the gun range,” I say proudly.

“I don’t even wanna know,” Cash mutters.

Pipes is in charge of the new gun range the club just bought recently, and they’re about to open. It’s fun, and my aim is pretty good. Not that I ever imagined I’d ever be aiming a real gun at someone. Still, that someone just kidnapped my baby and my husband. So I hope they’re ready for the fight of their lives because I won’t be backing down.

“Don’t blame me,” Pipes says. “I had nothin’ to do with that. They insisted, and I don’t know if you’re aware, boss, but they’re very persuasive women. Need I remind you that one of them has a gun.”

Cash ignores him. “Stay outta sight, and once the car stops and you get a location, let me know. Crystal, send the coordinates to Jett and do not set foot outside that truck.”

“Already on it,” I say, sharing the location with Jett on my phone.

“Can you think of anyone who’d want to hurt you, or Ryder or Ade?” Cash goes on.

“No.” I shake my head. “Nobody.”

“What about back home? You just came back from the funeral.”

“We didn’t see anyone, only Stu, Ryder’s stepbrother, and he was cool.”

“You sure about that?” Cash definitely doesn’t sound so sure.

“Yes, he wouldn’t be carjacking Ryder in the middle of New Orleans. He had plenty of opportunity to behave badly when we were there,” I say. “It’s not Stu.”

“Fine, I know you think you can do somethin’, but rage is gonna get you killed, Crys. I mean it. The boys are headin’ in the same direction right behind, so hear what I’m sayin’. You’re not to leave that truck. That’s an order. I don’t give a fuck what you’re about to say; if you go against my word, then you know what’ll happen.”

Tears spring to my eyes. “You can’t do that, Cash. This is my family!”

“And we’ve got a sharpshooter, plus two very mean sons of bitches in the form of Tag and Harlem who won’t be takin’ too kindly to carjackin’, especially a child being involved. Not to mention the rest of the club who are on their way.”

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